COS2601/101/0/2023

Tutorial Letter 101/0/2023

Theoretical Computer Science II

COS2601

Year Module

School of Computing

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Please register on myUnisa, activate your myLife e-mail account and make sure that you have regular
access to the myUnisa module website, COS2601-23-Y.

This tutorial letter contains important information about your module.

BARCODE

Open Rubric
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CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 To get started .......................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 BLENDED module .................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 e-Tutors ................................................................................................................................................... 5

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ............................................................................................................. 5

2.1 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Outcomes ................................................................................................................................................ 5

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION................................................................................................... 5

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .............................................................................................. 6

4.1 Lecturer(s) ............................................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Department ............................................................................................................................................. 6
4.3 University................................................................................................................................................. 6
4.4 Osprey web server................................................................................................................................... 6

5 RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................... 6
5.1 Prescribed books ..................................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 Recommended book ............................................................................................................................... 7
5.3 Books online ............................................................................................................................................ 7
5.4 Electronic resources ................................................................................................................................ 7

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ......................................................................................................... 7

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa ............................................................................................ 7

7. HOW TO STUDY ONLINE ................................................................................................................. 8

7.1 What does it mean to study fully online? ............................................................................................... 8
7.2 myUnisa tools .......................................................................................................................................... 8

7 STUDY PLAN ................................................................................................................................... 8

7.1 Suggested study programme for 2023 .................................................................................................... 9

8 ASSESSMENT .................................................................................................................................. 9
8.1 Assessment plan ...................................................................................................................................... 9
8.2 Due dates...............................................................................................................................................10
8.3 Assignments ..........................................................................................................................................10
8.4 Submission of assignments ...................................................................................................................10

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8.5 Plagiarism of assignments .....................................................................................................................10

9 IN CLOSING ................................................................................................................................... 11

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Dear Student

1 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to COS2601. This is a year module presented by the School of Computing. In this tutorial letter you
will find out about the prescribed book, the work that you are expected to study from it, and the assignments
that need to be done. It is important that you check the assessment and study plan page, as here you will find
a guide to getting through all the material in the allotted time (and submitting the assignments on time).

In this module we will discuss a simple abstract model of a computer, namely a finite automaton (FA). We will
familiarise ourselves with the simple languages that finite automata can accept as input, namely regular
languages. You will also be introduced to two very useful mathematical tools: induction and recursion. Non-
regular languages together with the pumping lemmas will also be dealt with.

Your familiarity with basic set theory, relations, functions, proof techniques, and logic, acquired via your
COS1501 module, will be useful, thus keep the COS1501 study material close at hand. COS2601 prepares you
for COS3701 in which more realistic models of computers are investigated and some limitations of computers
are discovered. This module does not involve practical work on a computer. However, there is a strong
emphasis on practising the skills acquired by doing the exercises provided in the study guide as well as the
assignments. By completing all the assignments, you are preparing for the examinations. It is very important
to work consistently throughout year to master the contents of this very interesting module.

This module is accompanied by a study guide available both in PDF format and online which will guide you
through the work that has to be studied as part of this module. On the module website the guide is presented
as units, and you can use the table of contents to move to the unit that you want to view.

Because this is a blended module (that is, only study guide will be in printed format), you need to use myUnisa
to study and complete the learning activities for this module. You need to visit the website on myUnisa for
COS2601 frequently. The website for your module is COS2601-23-Y.

1.1 TO GET STARTED

Because some of the learning material is online, you need to go online to see your study materials and read
what to do for the module. Go to the website here: https://my.unisa.ac.za and login with your student number
and password. Select myModules 2023 and you will see COS2601-23-Y in the dropdown list of modules.

1.2 BLENDED MODULE

Please note that this module is a blended module. Only the guide will be in printed format, all other study
material will only be available online.

All study material for this module will be available on myUnisa. It is thus very important that you register on
myUnisa and access the module site on a regular basis. You must be registered on myUnisa to be able to access
your learning material, submit your assignments, gain access to various learning resources, “chat” to your
lecturer and fellow students about your studies and the challenges that you might encounter, and to
participate in online discussion forums. Importantly, myUnisa contains the Lessons tool from which you will
only be able to access the study material for this module if you have registered and have access to myUnisa.
It is also important that you regularly check your myLife email account as this is the way that the University
will be contacting you, and the channel we use in this module when sending out important announcements
concerning the module. Remember that it is possible to forward mail sent to your myLife account to another
email address that you use more regularly. Please activate your myLife email address and obtain access to the
myUnisa module site.

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1.3 E-TUTORS
Once you have been registered for this module, you will be allocated to a group of students under the support
of an e-tutor who will be your tutorial facilitator. We strongly encourage you to use your e-tutors: do the
exercises that they post online, email them when you have problems, and discuss the module content on the
e-tutor discussion forums. The point of the e-tutor is to help you, and it would be a pity if you were not to use
this valuable resource. Of course, you can still contact the module lecturer if you need to.

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES

2.1 PURPOSE
Qualifying students can apply fundamental knowledge and skills from Applied Mathematics (like set theory)
to computing fields such as programming to assist in the development of correct algorithms that can be
implemented as computer programs. Students will use set theory and other relevant applied mathematical
tools, to define regular expressions that generate regular languages. Students must construct regular language
acceptor machines (finite automata, Moore and Mealy machines, transition graphs and nondeterministic finite
automata), which are simple abstract models of computers. Students will also use mathematical tools
(induction and recursion techniques) to provide mathematical evidence (proof) of a statement.

This module forms part of the theory of a computer science major, supporting further studies and applications
in the sector of computer programming, bioinformatics and linguistics. These concepts and skills contribute to
the development of the computing field in southern Africa, Africa, and globally.

2.2 OUTCOMES
Specific outcome 1: Define regular languages (as formal mathematical presentations) using a variety of
defined mathematical tools for evidence (including definitions, theorems and operators).

Specific outcome 2: Construct mathematical proofs concisely using abstract-mathematical reasoning

techniques like direct proofs (induction) and proof by contradiction (pumping lemma).

Specific outcome 3: Construct regular language machine acceptors by drawing these machine acceptors
through applying the relevant definitions and theorems.

Specific outcome 4: Critically analyse and synthesise regular expressions, regular languages, and
machines that accept regular languages.

Specific outcome 5: Apply algorithms on machines by performing algorithms on transition graphs to obtain the
regular expressions that define the language accepted by the transition graphs and by performing an algorithm
on finite automata (to obtain a product, intersection, sum, Kleene closure) of a maximum of two finite
automata (to construct new language acceptors from old language acceptors). If applied in real life, problems
which can be solved include pattern matching problems within the context of security, bioinformatics as well
as linguistics.

3 CURRICULUM TRANSFORMATION
Unisa has implemented a transformation charter based on five pillars and eight dimensions. In response to
this charter, we have placed curriculum transformation high on the teaching and learning agenda. Curriculum
transformation includes the following pillars: student-centred scholarship, the pedagogical renewal of
teaching and assessment practices, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and the infusion of African
epistemologies and philosophies. These pillars and their principles will be integrated at both programme and
module levels as a phased-in approach. You will notice a marked change in the teaching and learning strategy

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implemented by Unisa, together with how the content is conceptualised in your modules. We encourage you
to embrace these changes during your studies at Unisa in a responsive way within the framework of
transformation.

4 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

4.1 LECTURER(S)
You are welcome to contact the COS2601 lecturer. The lecturer for COS2601/2021 is

Name: Dr P le Roux
Email address: lrouxp@unisa.ac.za
Telephone: 011 670 9118

You will also find this information on the home page of the module on myUnisa. Note that the lecturer may
not be available at the time of the query. The response time for emails is generally fast, we try to respond
within 48 hours.

4.2 DEPARTMENT
You can contact the Department of Computer Science as follows:
Telephone number: 011 670 9200
E-mail: computing@unisa.ac.za
Remember to provide your student number together with the relevant module code.

4.3 UNIVERSITY
Visit www.unisa.ac.za and follow the link Contact us to obtain information on how to communicate with the
University. Information about Unisa’s regional centres is also listed here.

Visit https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Contact-us and click on the link Student enquiries to

obtain a list of contact details (including e-mails) of various departments in the University.

4.4 OSPREY WEB SERVER

The School of Computing also uses the Osprey web server (http://osprey.unisa.ac.za/). The purpose of this
server is to provide information about the School. It does not offer student administration services. There is
also a discussion forum here that can be used.

5 RESOURCES
5.1 PRESCRIBED BOOKS
You need the prescribed textbook: Cohen, Daniel I. A. Introduction to Computer Theory, 2nd edition. John
Wiley & Sons, 1997. You may purchase the 2014 or 2016 custom editions. Please see announcement on
myUnisa in this regard.

The prescribed book covers the introduction to automata theory in detail, with many explanatory examples.
In the learning units we will, in the main, restrict ourselves to brief comments that indicate connections with
other modules, to summaries of some of the longer algorithms, and to the odd additional example. The
exception occurs in learning unit 3 that deals somewhat superficially with the idea of recursion. We have
included an in-depth discussion of recursion and induction in the notes in this unit, which you should treat as
important examinable material. Note that we cover only part I of the textbook. (Parts II and III are covered in
COS3701.)

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The following parts in Cohen are excluded from the COS2601 syllabus:
• From the section in Chapter 10, “The Myhill-Nerode Theorem” on page 196 up to just before the
problems on page 203.
• All problems based on the omitted sections above.

Note that the solutions to the recommended problems provided at the end of each unit can be found in a file
under Additional Resources.

5.2 RECOMMENDED BOOK

Should you wish to know more about a topic, you may consult the following book. Martin, J. 2013.
Introduction to Languages and the Theory of Computation. 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill.

5.3 BOOKS ONLINE

You can also find books on the Theory of Computation in the online resources form the library. Following the
steps below will give you access these resources.
• Go to oasis.unisa.ac.za
• Click on Library Links
• Search for Information Resources → A-Z list of electronic resources → s → Safari Business and Tech
Books Online
• In the search box at the top right of the page, search the entire site for “theory of computation”.
• You can then click on a book’s title, which should take you to the table of contents for that book.
• From here you can click on the chapter you want to read.

5.4 ELECTRONIC RESOURCES

Computer-aided instruction (CAI) tutorials named “Automata” and “Pumping lemmas” are available on the
module website. There is also more information on how to run it, download it (if necessary), and how to solve
typical problems on myUnisa.

6 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Study @ Unisa website is available on myUnisa: www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies
This website has all the tips and information you need to succeed at Unisa.

6.1 First-Year Experience Programme @ Unisa

For many students, the transition from school education to tertiary education is beset with anxiety. This is also
true for first-time students to Unisa. Unisa is a dedicated open distance and e-learning institution. Unlike face-
to-face/contact institutions, Unisa is somewhat different. It is a mega university, and all our programmes are
offered through a blended learning mode or fully online learning mode. It is for this reason that we thought it
necessary to offer first-time students additional/extended support so that you can seamlessly navigate the
Unisa teaching and learning journey with little difficulty and few barriers. In this regard we offer a specialised
student support programme to students entering Unisa for the first time. We refer to this programme as
Unisa’s First-Year Experience (FYE) Programme. The FYE is designed to provide you with prompt and helpful
information about services that the institution offers and how you can access information. The following FYE
programmes are currently offered:
• FYE website: All the guides and resources you need to navigate through your first year at Unisa can be
accessed using the following link: www.unisa.ac.za/FYE

• FYE e-mails: You will receive regular e-mails to help you stay focused and motivated.

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• FYE broadcasts: You will receive e-mails with links to broadcasts on various topics related to your first-year
studies (e.g., videos on how to submit assignments online).

• FYE mailbox: For assistance with queries related to your first year of study, send an e-mail to
fye@unisa.ac.za

7. HOW TO STUDY ONLINE

7.1 What does it mean to study fully online?
Studying fully online modules differs completely from studying some of your other modules at Unisa.
• All your study material and learning activities for online modules are designed to be delivered online
on myUnisa.
• All your assignments must be submitted online. This means that you will do all your activities and submit
all your assignments on myUnisa. In other words, you may NOT post your assignments to Unisa using the
South African Post Office.
• All communication between you and the University happens online. Lecturers will communicate with
you via e-mail and SMS, and use the Announcements, the Discussion Forums and the Questions and
Answers tools. You can also use all these platforms to ask questions and contact your lecturers.

7.2 myUnisa tools

The main tool that we will use is the Lessons tool. This tool will provide the content of and the assessments
for your module. At times you will be directed to join discussions with fellow students and complete activities
and assessments before you can continue with the module.
It is very important that you log in to myUnisa regularly. We recommend that you log in at least once a week
to do the following:
• Check for new announcements. You can also set your myLife e-mail account so that you receive the
announcement e-mails on your cell phone.
• Do the Discussion Forum activities. When you do the activities for each learning unit, we want you to
share your answers with the other students in your group. You can read the instructions and even prepare
your answers offline, but you will need to go online to post your messages.
• Do other online activities. For some of the learning unit activities you might need to post something on
the Blog tool, take a quiz or complete a survey under the Self-Assessment tool. Do not skip these activities
because they will help you complete the assignments and the activities for the module.

We hope that by giving you extra ways to study the material and practise all the activities, this will help you
succeed in the online module. To get the most out of the online module, you MUST go online regularly to
complete the activities and assignments on time.

7 STUDY PLAN
We provide two study programmes. You can follow the programme for the year. The study program can serve
as a guideline assisting you to work through the syllabus at a steady pace and should enable you to submit the
assignments on time.
Note: According to the study program provided, you need to complete the assignments some time before the
due dates. No extension can be given. Assignment 1 is compulsory to acquire examination admission and
should be submitted by the due date.

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7.1 SUGGESTED STUDY PROGRAMME FOR 2023

The first column presents the weeks. The starting week will be given at a later stage for you to fill in and
populate the table.

Activity: Cover chapter /

Week Week starting Actions
Do assignment or self-test
1 Chapter 1
2 Chapter 2
3 Chapter 2
4 Chapter 3
5 Chapter 3
7 Chapter 4
8 Chapter 4
9 Assignment 1
10 Chapter 5
11 Chapter 5
12 Chapter 6
13 Chapter 6
14 Chapter 7
15 Chapter 7
16 Chapter 7
17 Chapter 8
18 Chapter 8
19 Assignment 2
20 Chapter 9
21 Chapter 9
22 Chapter 10
23 Chapter 10
24 Chapter 11
25 Chapter 11
26 Assignment 3
Assignment 4

8 ASSESSMENT
8.1 ASSESSMENT PLAN
You will be assessed in several ways in this module.
• There are four assignments to submit and two self-test assignments, called formative assessment.
o The 1st assignment is a multiple-choice assignment, counting 15% of the year mark.
o The 2nd assignment is a written assignment and counts 35% towards the year mark.
o The 3rd assignment is a written assignment, counting 35% of the year mark.
o The 4th assignment is a multiple-choice assignment, counting 15% of the year mark.
o These should be done individually and not in groups.
o These must be submitted to Unisa for marking.
o Together, these three assignments count 20% towards the final module mark.

• There are three self-test assignments.

o These should not be submitted.

• There is one final exam.

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o This exam counts 80% towards the final module mark.

o You must submit at least the first assignment by the due date to obtain admission to the exam.

Your final mark will be calculated as follows:

Year mark (out of 100) × 20% + Examination mark (out of 100) × 80%

To pass this module, a final mark of at least 50% is required.

Example: The following example shows how the assessment system works, if all three assignments were
submitted.

Contribution to
Assignment Mark × Weight
year mark
01 90% × 0.15 13.5%
02 90% × 0.35 31.5%
03 90% × 0.35 31.5%
04 90% × 0.15 13.5%
90%

The resulting year mark is 90%.

Suppose you obtain 80% in the examination. The final module mark will be calculated as follows:
(90 × 0.20)% + (80 × 0.80)% = (18.0 + 64.0)% = 82%.

Note: The year mark will not contribute towards the results of students writing a supplementary examination.

Why do assignments? In the first place, we need to provide proof to the Department of Higher Education and
Training that you are an active student. Therefore, it is compulsory to submit Assignment 01 by its due date.
Furthermore, experience has shown that a student who does not work systematically during the year is likely
to give up and does not even attempt to write the examination.

8.2 DUE DATES

All due date will be provided in a separate tutorial letter. The self-tests that should not be submitted.

8.3 ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments will be available on-line.

8.4 SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS

All assignments must be submitted electronically.

8.5 PLAGIARISM OF ASSIGNMENTS

When your assignment has been marked, a percentage will be awarded. This is an indication of how correct
your answers were, as well as the quality of your assignment. Copying other students’ solutions, or the official
solutions from a previous or current year is plagiarism, which is a punishable offence that may lead to
expulsion from the university. At the very least you will receive 0% for a plagiarised assignment.

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9 IN CLOSING
We trust that this tutorial letter covers all the basic information that you need to know about completing the
COS2601 module. Should you have any further administrative queries, please contact the relevant Unisa
department; if your query is of an academic nature relating to the content of the module, please contact the
relevant lecturer.

Wishing you well in your studies.

©
UNISA
2023

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